ITU
Internet Reports 2005: The Internet of Things is the seventh in the series of "ITU Internet Reports"
originally launched in 1997 by the International Telecommunication
Union. For previous titles in the series see
ITU Internet Reports 2004:
The Portable Internet ,
ITU Internet Reports 2003: Birth of Broadband, and
ITU Internet Reports 2002:
Internet for a Mobile Generation. Written by a team of analysts from the Strategy and Policy
Unit (SPU) of the
ITU, the report takes a look
at the next step in "always on" communications, in which new
technologies like RFID and smart computing promise a world of
networked and interconnected devices that provide relevant content
and information whatever the location of the user. Everything from
tires to toothbrushes will be in communications range, heralding the
dawn of a new era, one in which today’s Internet (of data and
people) gives way to tomorrow’s Internet of Things.
We are heading towards what can be termed a “ubiquitous network
society”, one in which networks and networked devices are
omnipresent. Early forms of ubiquitous information and communication
networks are already visible in the widespread use of mobile phones
today: there were over 1.8 billion mobile phones in circulation by
the end of 2004, and the number is set to surpass 2 billion by the
end of 2005. Mobile data applications such as SMS, i-mode and
Vodafone Live! have brought Internet-like services to the pockets of
many mobile phone users. But what if much more was connected to a
network: a fridge, a car, a cup of tea?
At the dawn of the internet revolution, users were amazed at the
possibility of contacting people and information across oceans and
time zones, through a few clicks of their mouse. In order to do so,
however, they typically had to sit in front of a computer device
(PC) connected to a global network. Today, they can also use mobile
phones and portable laptops. The next logical step in this
technological revolution (connecting people anytime, anywhere) is to
connect inanimate objects a communication network. This is the
vision underlying the Internet of things. The use of electronic tags
(e.g. RFID) and sensors will serve to extend the communication and
monitoring potential of the network of networks, as will the
introduction of computing power in everyday items such as razors,
shoes and packaging. Advances in nanotechnology (i.e. manipulation
of matter at the molecular level) will serve to further accelerate
these developments.
The late Mark Weiser (at the time chief scientist at the XEROX
Palo Alto Research Center) is quoted to have said: “The most
profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave
themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are
indistinguishable from it.” This well-known citation refers to the
increasing “availability” and decreasing “visibility” of processing
power. In other words, computing through dedicated devices will
slowly disappear, while information processing capabilities will
emerge throughout our surrounding environment. With the benefit of
integrated information processing capacity, industrial products will
take on smart capabilities. They may also take on electronic
identities that can be queried remotely, or be equipped with sensors
for detecting physical changes around them. Such developments will
make the merely static objects of today dynamic ones - embedding
intelligence in our environment and stimulating the creation of
innovative products and new business opportunities. The Internet of
Things will enable forms of collaboration and communication between
people and things, and between things themselves, hitherto unknown
and unimagined.
It seems that we are standing on the brink of a new computing and
communication era, one that will radically transform our corporate,
community, and personal spheres. With continuing developments in
miniaturization and declining costs, it is becoming not only
technologically possible but also economically feasible to make
everyday objects smarter, and to connect the world of people with
the world of things. Building this new environment however, will
pose a number of challenges. Technological standardization in most
areas is still in its infancy, or remains fragmented. Not
surprisingly, managing and fostering rapid technological innovation
will be a challenge for governments and industry alike. But perhaps
one of the most important challenges is convincing users to adopt
emerging technologies like RFID. Concerns over privacy and data
protection are widespread, particularly as sensors and smart tags
can track a user’s movements, habits and preferences on a perpetual
basis. Fears related to nanotechnology range from bio-medical
hazards to robotic control. But whatever the concern, one thing
remains clear: scientific and technological advances in these fields
continue to move ahead at breakneck speed. It is only through
awareness of such advances, and the challenges they present, that we
can reap the future benefits of a fair, user-centric and global
Internet of Things.
ITU Internet Reports 2005: The Internet of Things was in November 2005. The report includes chapters on enabling
technologies, the shaping of the market, emerging challenges and
implications for the developing world, as well as comprehensive
statistical tables covering over 200 economies.
Download the executive
summary.
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